Patents by Inventor Patrick Joseph McCormick

Patrick Joseph McCormick has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11591070
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for a distributed aircraft actuation system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a non-responsive component detector to determine a position difference between a first position of a first control surface of an aircraft and a second position of a second control surface of the aircraft, the first position lagging the second position, and a command generator, in response to determining that the position difference satisfies a threshold, the command generator is to cease movement of the second control surface at the second position, attempt to move the first control surface to the second position, and cease movement of the first control surface when moved to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Neal Van Huynh, Matthew Alexander Moser, Patrick Joseph McCormick
  • Patent number: 10633080
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning a control surface. A desired position for the control surface associated with an aerodynamic aircraft structure is identified. The control surface is moved to the desired position using an electronically controlled rotary actuator system located inside of the aerodynamic aircraft structure, wherein a shape of the aerodynamic aircraft structure with the electronically controlled rotary actuator system has a desired aerodynamic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Neal Van Huynh, Patrick Joseph McCormick
  • Publication number: 20200047873
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for a distributed aircraft actuation system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a non-responsive component detector to determine a position difference between a first position of a first control surface of an aircraft and a second position of a second control surface of the aircraft, the first position lagging the second position, and a command generator, in response to determining that the position difference satisfies a threshold, the command generator is to cease movement of the second control surface at the second position, attempt to move the first control surface to the second position, and cease movement of the first control surface when moved to the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Neal Van Huynh, Matthew Alexander Moser, Patrick Joseph McCormick
  • Patent number: 10479484
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling aircraft flight control surfaces are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a flight control surface controller to move a control surface of an aircraft to a target position via at least one of a first actuator or a second actuator associated with the control surface based on a command input received by the flight control surface controller. The flight control surface controller to: obtain a flight characteristic of the aircraft; compare the flight characteristic to a flight characteristic threshold; in response to a first comparison result, cause the first actuator to move the control surface to the target position based on the command input without moving the second actuator; and in response to a second comparison result, cause the first actuator and the second actuator to move the control surface to the target position based on the command input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Neal Van Huynh, Patrick Joseph McCormick
  • Patent number: 10450055
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for a distributed aircraft actuation system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a collection engine to obtain first monitoring information corresponding to a first set of control surfaces of an aircraft, the first set including a first control surface on a first side of the aircraft and a second control surface on a second side of the aircraft, the second side opposite the first, and obtain second monitoring information corresponding to a second set of control surfaces of the aircraft, the second set including a third control surface on the first side and a fourth control surface on the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Neal Van Huynh, Matthew Alexander Moser, Patrick Joseph McCormick
  • Publication number: 20180362149
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling aircraft flight control surfaces are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a flight control surface controller to move a control surface of an aircraft to a target position via at least one of a first actuator or a second actuator associated with the control surface based on a command input received by the flight control surface controller. The flight control surface controller to: obtain a flight characteristic of the aircraft; compare the flight characteristic to a flight characteristic threshold; in response to a first comparison result, cause the first actuator to move the control surface to the target position based on the command input without moving the second actuator; and in response to a second comparison result, cause the first actuator and the second actuator to move the control surface to the target position based on the command input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Neal Van Huynh, Patrick Joseph McCormick
  • Publication number: 20180362147
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for a distributed aircraft actuation system are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a collection engine to obtain first monitoring information corresponding to a first set of control surfaces of an aircraft, the first set including a first control surface on a first side of the aircraft and a second control surface on a second side of the aircraft, the second side opposite the first, and obtain second monitoring information corresponding to a second set of control surfaces of the aircraft, the second set including a third control surface on the first side and a fourth control surface on the second side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Neal Van Huynh, Matthew Alexander Moser, Patrick Joseph McCormick
  • Publication number: 20180022441
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning a control surface. A desired position for the control surface associated with an aerodynamic aircraft structure is identified. The control surface is moved to the desired position using an electronically controlled rotary actuator system located inside of the aerodynamic aircraft structure, wherein a shape of the aerodynamic aircraft structure with the electronically controlled rotary actuator system has a desired aerodynamic performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Neal Van Huynh, Patrick Joseph McCormick
  • Patent number: 9064357
    Abstract: A system and methods for alleviating an anomaly in a structure are presented. At least one anomaly detector structural member is embedded in the structure. A measurement signal is sent to the anomaly detector structural member and a feedback signal is received from the anomaly detector structural member in response to the measurement signal. A difference between the measurement signal and the feedback signal is calculated to determine a change in the structure, and at least one non-optimal event is identified in real-time if the change exceeds an event threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Patrick Joseph McCormick